“Why pouting is my job?” When actor Hina Khan opened up about the paparazzi culture and the pressure for picture-perfect photos on social media.
🎥 : SheThePeople
🎥 : SheThePeople
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00:00I don't show skin to grab the eyeballs. I show skin because I want to look good. I want to look sexy.
00:06You know, it's my choice what I want to wear. It's my choice how I want to pose.
00:10It's my choice how I want to appear in the public domain. That agency remains mine.
00:16I use filters. I love using filters. But then I am okay to put out my real self, my natural self out there
00:24when I wish to. And I do it.
00:26Wherever Heena Khan goes, so do the paps. And they often say, ma'am turn around, show us your back
00:35when you're wearing a backless dress. Oh ma'am, pose like this, pose like that. Do you fall for it?
00:42No, I don't, Shelly. In fact, my last few appearances, I made sure that I convey it to them
00:53that I am not comfortable with what you're asking me. I believe, I think as a woman, I should not oblige this.
01:02And I also feel we do a lot of public appearances as actors, where we walk a lot of red carpets and all.
01:12But, you know, a question answer is okay. And communicating with the paparazzis and with media people is absolutely fine.
01:21But I just don't like the fact when I am asked to pose in a certain way.
01:26Like what?
01:26Or for that matter, ma'am turn around, show us your back just because I'm wearing a backless dress.
01:34Or they'll say, or for that matter, just simply to pout. They'll tell you to pout.
01:38I said, as a woman, as a woman, I don't, I am not obliged to do this for them, right?
01:44Yeah.
01:45I'm an artist. I'm an actor. And I know, I know my job. I know sometimes, sometimes, yeah,
01:52most of the times I will be dancing to the tunes of my director, which is absolutely fine.
01:56It's part of my profession.
01:57So they could argue that pouting is your job?
01:59Pouting, why pouting is my job? I mean, really, I mean, it's my choice.
02:04It's not that, it's not a fair ask.
02:08I feel that you ask me that how, please pout, please turn around just because you're wearing a backless dress.
02:14With all due respect, I love them personally. I know all of them.
02:18I know they don't think ill of me or anyone else for that matter.
02:21But I think as women, we should draw, and men are not asked such questions.
02:26And as women, we should draw this line and we should not give anyone this right to ask us such questions on a red carpet.
02:35And also, I don't want to be part of this practice.
02:39You know, it's my choice what I want to wear. It's my choice how I want to pose.
02:43It's my choice how I want to appear in the public domain.
02:47That agency remains mine. That's it.
02:50So I don't give, I really don't want to give this right to anyone to tell me how to pose and give a back pose.
02:56I want to give a back pose when I want to give a back pose.
02:59I don't show skin to grab the eyeballs.
03:02I show skin because I want to look good. I want to look sexy.
03:06So it's not that I show skin because I want to grab eyeballs.
03:10I want people, people want to capture me in a certain way in a certain position that I am in a public domain.
03:15You can click me the way you want.
03:17But you cannot dictate me how I should pose.
03:21So that's something which I don't give them right to do.
03:26So that's something I want to do when I am comfortable doing that.
03:30So I know, I know what you're trying to say.
03:33People will put it this way that these are double standards.
03:36What is she doing?
03:37She wears clothes like this from one side and then she has a problem with posing in a certain way.
03:43It's not that. I'm not saying that I don't want to give a back pose.
03:47I'm not saying that.
03:48But you'll do it on your own terms.
03:49I will do it when I want it.
03:51What disrupts Heena Khan's peace of mind?
03:55I think this, in today's world, what bothers me the most on social media, I'm saying, let me talk about social media.
04:01A lot bothers me by the way. But let me just talk about social media right now.
04:07I think we all are just running after this picture perfect social media appearance.
04:14Especially women.
04:16We've just gone crazy. We're mindlessly following it.
04:20Following this notion of fake reality.
04:24Everyone wants to look beautiful.
04:27And you are beautiful.
04:30But I don't know what is wrong with today's generation or for that matter,
04:34all the people that why are they so focused on editing their picture?
04:38Either editing their picture to look perfect without freckles, without pigmentation or to use a filter.
04:46They just don't want to do anything without filter.
04:49Have you done ever a filter?
04:51Of course, I use filters.
04:52I'm not saying I don't use filters.
04:54I'm not saying I'm an artist.
04:55I do use makeup. I use filters.
04:57I love using filters.
04:59But then I am okay to put out my real self, my natural self out there when I wish to.
05:05And I do it. People who know me, they know that I do it.
05:09I do put my real self out.
05:10I'm not saying don't use filters.
05:12My point is that don't do it to a level where you become depressed when you look at yourself in the mirror.
05:19And I see people around who get depressed when they look at themselves in the mirror.
05:24They really get depressed and they don't want to show their real self, their natural self to the world.
05:31For me, I believe...
05:33See, I'm not in my 20s, okay?
05:35I have pigmentation, I have dark circles, I have freckles and that's okay.
05:41I think I have fine lines and that's my experience sitting on my face and that's okay.